England and Wales

Principal Designer Services

2018 edition

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 England and Wales
Principal Designer Services
2018 edition

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Published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Parliament Square
London
SW1P 3AD
www.rics.org

No responsibility for loss or damage caused to any person acting or refraining from action as a
result of the material included in this publication can be accepted by the authors or RICS.

© Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) May 2018. Copyright in all or part of this
publication rests with RICS. Save where and to the extent expressly permitted within this
document, no part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means including
graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or Web distribution,
without the written permission of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or in line with the
rules of an existing licence.

Typeset using InDesign.

 Contents
Additional notes ...................................................................... ................... 1
1 Taking instructions .......................................................................... 1
2 Statutory compliance........................................................................ 1
3 Pre-construction phase ................................................................... 2
4 Post-construction phase ................................................................. 2
5 Project completion ........................................................................... 2
6 Bespoke Additional Services ........................................................... 2
Appendix: Schedule of meetings to be attended by the Consultant....... 3

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 Principal Designer Services
Title
For use with the
For use with the RICS Standard or RICS Short Forms of Consultant’s Appointment

Additional notes:
• These Services should be completed by inserting a ‘tick’ in the box next to the Service to be provided. For further information, please refer to
the RICS Standard or RICS Short Form of Consultant’s Appointment explanatory notes.
• All other Services that are not ticked shall be deemed to be Additional Services under the terms of this Appointment.
• Any bespoke Additional Services agreed between the Client and the Consultant should be inserted in Section 6.
• A schedule of ‘typical’ meetings is included with these Services in the Appendix. Completion of this schedule is also recommended.
• The Consultant’s role and associated duties are set out in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM Regulations).

1 Taking instructions
1.1 Ascertain the nature and complexity of the Project and assist
the Client in the preparation of the Project brief. Advise the
Client on the nature and extent of their duties and ensure the
Client’s responsibilities under the Construction (Design
and Management) Regulations 2015 are fully understood.
1.2 Establish the extent of their instructions, whether they are
2.7 Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that for all
directly undertaken design work:
• all hazards have been identified;
• identified hazards are eliminated;
• where hazards cannot be eliminated associated risks
have been reduced; and
• information relating to residual hazards is provided to
other designers, the Contractor(s) or included within
the content of any health and safety file.

appointments.
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dealing with all elements on the Site or whether there are any
design works to be undertaken outside of the Client’s

1.3 Obtain any relevant Project background information from the

2.8 In accordance with the principles of prevention as set out in the
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999,
Schedule 1 General Principles of Prevention and any
pre-existing health and safety file consider:
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Client including appropriate limitations, and existing
information, such as pre-existing health and safety files or 2.8.1 Design, technical and organisational aspects that
pre-construction information. are being decided to plan the various items or
stages of work that are to take place simultaneously
1.4 Demonstrate the competence to undertake the role of the or in succession.
Consultant.
2.8.2 The period of time to complete such work.
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2 Statutory compliance 2.9 Ensure that all designers comply with their duty under
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
paragraph 9 and that all designers have, so far as is
2.1 All information provided by the Consultant shall be set out in a
reasonably practicable, identified and controlled hazards to
clear and concise manner, in a format that is comprehensible
those carrying out or affected by construction work,
maintaining or cleaning a structure or using the structure as
2.2 Assess the skills, knowledge and experience of the designers
a workplace.
appointed or to be appointed by the Client (and others) by
reference to the Project and provide a report on the findings.
2.10 Provide regular updates to the Client providing assurance
that designers are meeting this requirement.
2.3 Assess the organisational capacity of the designers hired or to
be hired by the Client by reference to the Project. Provide a
2.11 Where design work is undertaken outside of the UK, ensure
report on the findings.
that the appointing body, or where relevant the Client,
understands that they become responsible for ensuring
2.4 Cooperate with the health and safety Consultant and those
design compliance with the CDM Regulations and assist
working on the Project and with others working on adjacent
with the preparation of evidence of compliance.
sites.

2.5 Report to the Client or the person controlling the Project

anything the Consultant is aware of that would endanger the
health and safety of others.

2.6 During the pre-construction phase, plan, manage, monitor and

coordinate matters relating to health and safety.

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3 Pre-construction phase
3.1 Prepare a template of the health and safety file during the
pre-construction phase appropriate to the characteristics of
the Project.
3.2 Advise the Client on the requirements relating to the provision
of pre-construction information and the necessity to
commission investigations, surveys and reports where needed
to make such information available to designers involved with
the Project and for contractors involved throughout the
construction phase.
3.3 Assist the Client to provide the pre-construction information to
the designers and contractors in a convenient form when in
the Consultant’s control (CDM Regulations 4(4)).
3.4 Ensure that throughout the pre-construction phase
arrangements are in place for the Project to be planned,
managed and monitored in respect of health and safety
matters so far as is reasonably practicable.
3.5 Coordinate and control the work of other designers involved
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with the Project and any other duty holders to improve how
the risks are managed and controlled.
4.3 Assist the Client in the provision of the health and safety file:
4.3.1 Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the
principal contractor draws up a construction phase
plan or makes arrangements for a construction
phase plan to be drawn up.
4.3.2 Assist the principal contractor in preparing the
construction phase plan by providing all information
the Consultant holds that is relevant to the
construction phase plan, including:
• pre-construction information obtained from
the Client; and
• any information obtained from designers
under CDM Regulations 9(3)(b).
4.3.3 If the Consultant’s appointment concludes before
the end of the Project, the Consultant must pass the
health and safety file to the principal Contractor.
5 Project completion
5.1 Ensure that the health and safety file is appropriately
reviewed, compiled and completed including relevant

3.6 Receive and put into action written instructions.

information, maintenance instructions, residual risk and as
built drawings.

5.2 Pass the health and safety file to the Client.

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3.7 Ensure that duty holders and others affected by the Project
cooperate with each other to ensure that health and safety
issues are addressed and considered.
6 Bespoke Additional Services
3.8 Identify and eliminate or control, so far as reasonably 6.1 Enter or attach bespoke Additional Services agreed with
practicable, foreseeable risks to the health and safety of any the Client.
person carrying out or liable to be affected by construction
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works, or any person maintaining and cleaning a structure or

using a structure designed as a workplace.

4 Post-construction phase
4.1 Attend design, Site and subcontract meetings as appointed
by the Client, including any further meetings deemed
necessary by the Consultant to discharge their legal
obligations.

4.2 Liaise with the principal Contractor for the duration of the
Consultant’s appointment, sharing with the principal
Contractor information relevant to the planning, management,
coordination and monitoring of the construction phase’s health
and safety matters.

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Appendix: Schedule of meetings to be attended by the Consultant

1 Client meetings
Attendance: Partner Director Associate Project surveyor

Other (please specify) ______________________________________

Frequency: Daily Weekly Monthly Quarterly

No attendance required Other

Please specify requirements: __________________________________________________________________

2 Design team meetings

Attendance: Partner Director Associate Project surveyor

Frequency:
Other

Daily
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Weekly Monthly Quarterly

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No attendance required Other

Please specify requirements: __________________________________________________________________

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3 Project team meetings

Attendance: Partner Director Associate Project surveyor

Other (please specify) _____________________________________

Frequency: Daily Weekly Monthly Quarterly

No attendance required Other

Please specify requirements: _________________________________________________________________

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 4 Site meetings
Attendance: Partner Director Associate Project surveyor

Other (please specify) _____________________________________

Frequency: Daily Weekly Monthly Quarterly

No attendance required Other

Please specify requirements: _________________________________________________________________

5 (Other) meetings
Name of meeting: ____________________________________

Attendance: Partner Director Associate Project surveyor

Other ft (please specify) _____________________________________

(Specify required attendees) ______________________________________

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Frequency: Daily Weekly Monthly Quarterly

No attendance required Other

Please specify requirements: __________________________________________________________________

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